NEWSMAKERS

MCI Communications Corp. has formed a four-member corporate office to direct strategy and operations for the national Washington-based telecommunications company.

MCI also named former IBM executive Richard T. Liebhaber as executive vice president and a member of the new management team, which, among other tasks, will coordinate the integration of Satellite Business Systems and MCI. In June, MCI agreed to acquire SBS from IBM in a deal that will give IBM a 16 percent stake in MCI.

The merger, Liebhaber noted, represents a major expansion for MCI with a host of logistical problems in integrating MCI, which operates a network of mostly fiber-optic telephone lines, and SBS, which runs a network of communications satellite. The merger will add $500 million in revenue to MCI's $2 billion, making it the fourth-largest publicly owned company in Washington.

William G. McGowan, chairman and chief executive officer of MCI, cited growth due to the merger, a greater focus on marketing to large customers, and an increase in the number of areas that are converting to a system of equal access to telephone services as reasons for creating the new office.

The other members are McGowan, Vice Chairman V. Orville Wright and Bert C. Roberts Jr., president and chief operating officer.

Although specific responsibilities for members of the new office have not been defined, Liebhaber, an engineer-turned-business-executive, said the "technical and engineering side of the business will report somehow to me."

Liebhaber, who on Thursday was at the Armonk, N.Y., headquarters of IBM to sign his retirement papers and end a diverse, 30-year career with the manufacturer, was asked to take a leave of absence from IBM in 1984 to help manage SBS.

Before his recent appointment, Liebhaber had worked on a team trying to smooth SBS's transition from IBM to MCI. Liebhaber is the first SBS executive to be assigned to MCI. Marvin L. Mann, president of SBS and an IBM vice president, is expected to return to IBM. BANKING, FINANCE

Bay National Bank in Annapolis has named Lee M. Donovan president. Donovan, a former senior vice president of National Enterprise Bank in Washington, joined Bay National in May as chief executive officer and a director.

First American Bankshares Inc., the Washington-based six-bank holding company, has created a human resources division that will manage personnel for the entire company under the direction of Anthony Torentinos. Formerly director of personnel for the company's Virginia bank subsidiary, Torentinos will become senior vice president for the parent company. Joining Torentinos in the new division are Russell D. McNish as vice president for compensation and benefits and Grant E. Morris as vice president for employe relations and employment. McNish, a graduate in personnel and labor relations from the University of Maryland, recently was assistant director of human resources for First American Bank of Washington. Morris was an advisor to the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before joining First American Bankshares. In a separate development, Vincent Scoffone, who has been with the company since 1966, was named senior vice president and treasurer.

Catholic University's chief financial officer, Richard C. Applegate, has been appointed regional vice president for Second National Building & Loan of Annapolis. Applegate, who taught courses in business and managed administration and university relations during his 16-year tenure with Catholic University, will be responsible for business development, commercial banking and coordination of the seven branch offices in Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties for Second National. He succeeds Eric W. Edstrom, who has been promoted to vice president in charge of branch administration.

Home Federal Savings & Loan Association, an 88-year-old Washington savings institution, has appointed two longtime officers to its two senior management posts. Ralph S. Childs Jr., a 33-year veteran of Home Federal and former president of the Washington League of Savings Institutions, was named chairman of the board in addition to his responsibilities as chief executive officer. Elwyn G. Raiden Jr., a former senior vice president and treasurer who has been with Home Federal for 23 years, succeeds Childs as president. INDUSTRY, MANUFACTURING

Railroad consultant John S. Lanahan has been elected to the board of directors of Figgie International Holdings Inc., the Richmond-based diversified manufacturing and services firm. Lanahan is currently a consultant to Chessie Systems Railroads, a subsidiary of CSX Corp. of Richmond, after serving as senior vice president of the railroad. In a separate development, Burton Brown, a 35-year veteran of the oil and gas exploration industry, has been named president of the company's natural resource investment subsidiary. And Robert J. Fox has retired as president of the Rusco Electronic Systems division, a California manufacturer of computer fuel management systems. Robert L. Baddorf of the parent company will supervise daily operations until a successor is named.

Kellogg Co., the Michigan-based cereal maker, has named George A. Franklin vice president of government relations. Franklin joined the company in 1980, after representing Kellogg in private practice. He previously served as a legislative aide to former congressman Frank Thompson (D-N.J.).

Minoru Makihara, who established the Washington office of Mitsubishi International Corp. in 1971, is back to manage that office and to take on new responsibilities as executive vice president. In the interim, Makihara served for two years as manager of marketing operations for MIC's parent company, Mitsubishi Corp., the large Japanese manufacturer. He replaces Shizuo Kawanami who has been appointed general manager in charge of coordinating MIC's various divisions in New York. MIC is one of two Japanese-owned companies that ranks among the top five exporters of American goods.